Decorating
Colour: 11 Inspiring Ways to Decorate with Deep Red
Warm, moody and deliciously rich, dark red works both as a deep accent tone and as a lush backdrop
With the discovery of new pigments in the mid 19th century, dark red became a very popular colour in Victorian homes. Today, this earthy hue remains wonderfully relevant, but it’s generally used in a more restrained way. Of course, it’s still perfectly acceptable to cover walls in darkest red, as our forefathers might have, but today’s interiors typically use this heavy, rich colour as a lush and sometimes unexpected accent. It crops up on rugs and cushions, and in more unfamiliar and surprising locations, too, from splashbacks to headboards. So why not explore this visceral, deep tone. It’s time to see red, but in a very stylish way!
Go for glass
Deep red packs a strong punch and for that reason works beautifully as an accent colour. Here, a red glass splashback and upstands add warmth and colour in this contemporary kitchen and complement the black and chrome Aga. Thanks to their deep tone, they add interest without threatening to overpower this perfectly poised scheme.
See splashbacks with punch and personality
Deep red packs a strong punch and for that reason works beautifully as an accent colour. Here, a red glass splashback and upstands add warmth and colour in this contemporary kitchen and complement the black and chrome Aga. Thanks to their deep tone, they add interest without threatening to overpower this perfectly poised scheme.
See splashbacks with punch and personality
Take to the floor
The new oak floors in this Dutch home have been painted in a lush red. It’s a bold look and is used on all the floors to create a strong foundation of colour throughout the house. The key to their success is the lashings of white elsewhere, making the floors a strong but not dominating feature.
The new oak floors in this Dutch home have been painted in a lush red. It’s a bold look and is used on all the floors to create a strong foundation of colour throughout the house. The key to their success is the lashings of white elsewhere, making the floors a strong but not dominating feature.
Prepare a patchwork
Deep red across a single surface can suck up the light and feel rather dense. A patchwork of dark reds, on the other hand, with patterns and shades mixed in, offsets the intensity of an all-red scheme and is a great way to introduce this rich shade to any room.
Deep red across a single surface can suck up the light and feel rather dense. A patchwork of dark reds, on the other hand, with patterns and shades mixed in, offsets the intensity of an all-red scheme and is a great way to introduce this rich shade to any room.
Indulge in a design classic
If you’re going to splash out on a piece of iconic design, why not choose it in a bold colour? This Egg chair, designed by Danish legend Arne Jacobsen, is almost the only coloured element in this room. It helps to bring warmth to the scheme and also ensures this beautiful piece is noticed and enjoyed.
Learn more about Arne Jacobsen’s iconic Egg chair
If you’re going to splash out on a piece of iconic design, why not choose it in a bold colour? This Egg chair, designed by Danish legend Arne Jacobsen, is almost the only coloured element in this room. It helps to bring warmth to the scheme and also ensures this beautiful piece is noticed and enjoyed.
Learn more about Arne Jacobsen’s iconic Egg chair
Bag a big red bolster
Adding colourful soft furnishings, ceramics and artwork is a tried and trusted way to inject colour into a white room – it’s less overpowering and more flexible than painting the walls. This large, knitted cushion illustrates the idea perfectly. It brings a dose of deep red to this simple bedroom, and also picks up on the red notes in the stained glass of the doors and windows.
Adding colourful soft furnishings, ceramics and artwork is a tried and trusted way to inject colour into a white room – it’s less overpowering and more flexible than painting the walls. This large, knitted cushion illustrates the idea perfectly. It brings a dose of deep red to this simple bedroom, and also picks up on the red notes in the stained glass of the doors and windows.
Work it on the wall
Deep red works on walls, but remember that it will absorb light and make any space feel slightly smaller and more enclosed. This may be just the effect you are after, but, if not, try to balance any expanses of deep red with a pale ceiling and flooring. Plenty of natural light will also help to keep the red looking attractive, rather than oppressive.
Deep red works on walls, but remember that it will absorb light and make any space feel slightly smaller and more enclosed. This may be just the effect you are after, but, if not, try to balance any expanses of deep red with a pale ceiling and flooring. Plenty of natural light will also help to keep the red looking attractive, rather than oppressive.
Add stripes
Broad stripes in gleaming deep red and gold make a feature of these long, luxurious silk curtains. This is a striking way to introduce colour into any room, and looks particularly effective in a white space, such as this bedroom.
Broad stripes in gleaming deep red and gold make a feature of these long, luxurious silk curtains. This is a striking way to introduce colour into any room, and looks particularly effective in a white space, such as this bedroom.
Enjoy it in the garden
Very dark red is a colour that frequently crops up in nature, on ripe plums and grapes, autumn leaves and even in the soil, so it looks good in the garden. A deep red umbrella and chair cushions bring a warm contrast to all the lush green in this outdoor eating area, without clashing with the natural planting or dominating the space.
Very dark red is a colour that frequently crops up in nature, on ripe plums and grapes, autumn leaves and even in the soil, so it looks good in the garden. A deep red umbrella and chair cushions bring a warm contrast to all the lush green in this outdoor eating area, without clashing with the natural planting or dominating the space.
Call it contemporary
While deep red was a shade much loved by the Victorians, it has been successfully reinvented since their time and can look fantastically contemporary. Here, a high-gloss kitchen has three drawers fronted with glossy maroon, which break up the pale scheme without compromising its sleek feel.
While deep red was a shade much loved by the Victorians, it has been successfully reinvented since their time and can look fantastically contemporary. Here, a high-gloss kitchen has three drawers fronted with glossy maroon, which break up the pale scheme without compromising its sleek feel.
Get graphic
Used as an accent and in combination with graphic pattern, very dark red looks bold and contemporary. Here, a pattern of red hexagons brings a shot of detail and colour to this living room, nudging its sophisticated look towards something more original and eclectic.
TELL US…
Do you like dark red? Have you used it in your home? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.
Used as an accent and in combination with graphic pattern, very dark red looks bold and contemporary. Here, a pattern of red hexagons brings a shot of detail and colour to this living room, nudging its sophisticated look towards something more original and eclectic.
TELL US…
Do you like dark red? Have you used it in your home? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.
Matching two colours of equal tone – dark grey with deep maroon, for example – creates a rich, layered effect. Neither colour shouts for attention, but a uniform wall of grey is broken up and enriched by this deep red headboard.